Profilometer



A. GRAuf-:R

PROFILOMETER April 20, 1943.

, 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Ad'o/L @fade/1 ATTORNEYS Filed May 1, 1942 Patented Apr. 20, 1943 uNlTEo STATES PATENT ori-fici:

PltoFnloME'rElt Adolph crater, Newv ii, i'. Application May 1, 1942, serial No. 441,'s9't 1.0 Claims. (Cl. li-2312) It is amongV the objects of the present invention to provide a profllometer which will readily give an accurate trace with greatly and proportionately foreshortened horizontal or abscis'sa dimensior of the profile of a road so a's to show clearli the variations thereof from specications.

Another object is to provide a knockdown device of the above type made almost entirely of bar stock which shall be inexpensive in construction and easy to transport, easy to set up for use and easy to operate.

lAccording to the invention the prolometer comprises a horizontal open framework presenting a track, a vertical follower unit to ride along said tra'ck, and carrying a marking device, a 'chart mounting carriage also riding along said track and interlocked with said follower unit to advance the latter with respect to the former at a greatly reduced proportional rate in the travel of the chart supporting carriage along' the track.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. l is a view in front elevation showing the apparatus as used,

Fig. 2 is a view of the follower and marking portion of the assembly of Fig. 1 and on `a much larger scale,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on line Of Fg- 2,

. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sectional detail views taken respectively on lines 5-'5 and 5`ii of Fig. 2,

Fig. '7 is a view on a larger scale showing the mode of assembly of the supporting framework,

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line Il--A of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional detail view on line 9-9 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional detail View on line Ill-II] of Fig. 9.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention comprises a main or support framework Il which I may be of any suitable construction, desirably a knockdown construction, and which has support legs or feet I2 at the ends thereof. This frame d-esirably is of an open truss construction as shown', made up of Ia plurality of truss sections Ila with adjacent struts I2 clamped together by bolts I3 and 'coacting nuts I4 in marmerreadily understood. I 4

The framework presents a horizontal longitudinalfupper web lI5 and a corresponding lower web I6 `which `serye as trafrsks.Y Carried by saidwebs is a sheath I1 extending vertically and serving as a mount for the follower bar I8 by which the profile is to be traced. The sheath 4corrlprises a channel bar i9, withinturned longitudinal anges 20.Y J SmallWrollers 2 I extend across the lateral pockets of the sheath; the axles 22 of said rollers traversingfsaid pockets and beingaliixed in the back and respective ilanges 20 of the sheath.

The rollers 2| enga-ge the edgesof the follower bar ltwhichnis thus slidably` positional in said sheath.

Welded or otherwise secured to the back of the sheath is a. carrier plate 23 thev lower end of which has an inturned ledge 24 with an upturned flange 25 which supports small rollers 26 riding along and under the lower track Iii of the framework.y `Eirrlilar transverse rollers 2l Aride upon the pperweb' or track I5 of theframework. The 'agiles `28 of `'said rollers are lodged respectively inplate 23'and the flange 2S thereof. The sheath acordirigly is gui/dedby the four rollers 26 and 27 for ready moverrl'ent along the framework and is retained thereby against tilting 'from its position at right angles to the length of framework II. "The follower' bar 4la is desirably hollow so as to mountV at the lower end thereof a follower wheel 30 'oh an axle al transversely therethrough.

A( sleeve` 32 carrying a marking implement Si; spring pressed as at 34 encircles the upper part of the follower bar l'8,\said sleeve being adjustably affixed thereto by means of the set screw 35.

Cbiitctilf'lgA with the marking 4element iS the 'chart `n'lountingcarriage which' comprises a rectangular frame 36 alfording backing for a removable sheet o'fncro'ssisection or other charting paper. This frame is mounted vertically upon the main framework and for that purpose is provided With nd brackets 31 having gloled rollers 38 on vertical axes; sal-id rollers accommodating the lateral edges' of the track web l 5 so that the chart frame may readily travelalong the framework with mit little friction. m

A speed reducing transmission is interposed between the follower sheath UI'I and the chart mounting frame y3`6` so thatL the former will Iad- Vance with respect4 thereto atgeatly reduced pteportional rate in the travel` of thechart mounting frame along the track. ,'Defsirably th`educ Ving mechanism comprises rack and pinion transmission. `This includes a long rack 39 ei'tending substantially the entire length 'of the framewerk under and adjacent theiippr traer 1s thereof. I The chart ih'uhtlrlg frarh has' rigidly mounted upon a narrdwwelilb `on` the lower edge thereof a 'shorter-'rack '44; The transmitting gearing between racks 3S and 4I is retained by a at transmission box 42 formed desirably as a unitary part of the follower sheath structure Il. The gear box has a gear 43 exposed at the under face thereof and meshing with rack 39, and a pinion 44 exposed at the upper face thereof and meshing with rack 4I. The drive between gear 43 and pinion 44 involves a pair of gears 45 and 45 within the iiat gear case 42, gear 45 being rigid with and mounted on the same pin Y 41 as gear 43 and the gear 46 being rigid with and mounted on the same pin 48 as pinion 44.

The chart mounting frame or, if desired, the supporting framework, is provided with a spirit level 49 to permit adjustment of the parts so that the track I5 will extend in substantially horizontal position regardless 'of the inclination of the road. To permit such adjustment the supporting legs at the ends of the main'or support framework are adjustable in height. To this end these legs may be of T-bar structure as at 50 extending in corresponding slots 5I in footpieces I2 and clamped in position by set` screws 52.

The operation will be clear from the foregoing description, but will nevertheless be` briefly summarized.v The portable proiilometer in knockdown condition, delivered by truck to the road section to be measured, is readily put together by assembling the truss frame` sections II by means of the bolts I3 and nuts I4, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The, device being positioned transversely of the road from the crown to the gutter or curb thereof the feet I2 are adjusted in height until the spirit level 49 indicates the horizontal relation of the tracks. In `any setting the follower :bar I8 will automatically slide downward along the rollers 2|- so that the follower wheel 30 will touch the ground. The marking element 33 is brought in contact ,with the chart on frame 35. It is merely necessary now to push the chart mounting carriage 36 longitudinally along the track I5 from one end to the other thereof. In this operation the follower wheel 30 will enter any depression and follow any elevation in the road and will cause the pencil or marking implement 33, which is rigid therewith, correspondingly to trace the variations in height and depth in the road. The horizontal length `of the trace will, however, be butr a small fraction of the length of the road section being traced. This is due to the fact that in the advance of the chart mounting carriage 36 the rack 4I will rotate the pinion 44 and the latter through gear 46 will rotate gear 45 and with it gear 43 and since the latter meshes with the fixed rack 39 advance of sheath Il with the follower bar I8 and marking' element 33 will occur relative to the chart carriage 35 at a rate determined by and proportioned to the gear reduction. Desirably, the rate is such that say for a 30-foot length of framework traversed by the chart carrying frame, the marking element, will make a line but three feetV long on Vthe chart. Y

The sleeve 32 that carries the Vmarking implement or pencil `33 is arranged to be adjustable Y in position lengthwise of the follower bar so that successive sections ofthe road'may be traced in generally parallel relation upon one and the same chart. f A

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to tracing transverse profiles of the road but could also be used for tracing such profiles longitudinallyv of the road. v

AS many changes could, be madei inthe above aslaeti construction and many apparently widelyV different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of theV claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accom panying drawings shall be'interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Aproiilometer comprising a support frame having a track along the length thereof, a chart mounting carriage adapted to ride alongsaid track, an upstanding follower and marking structure having a roller support upon said frame, said chart mounting carriage and said follower structure having a speed reducing transmission therebetween to cause Yone o f said elements to move horizontally relative to the other at a speed b-ut a predetermined fraction of that at which said carriage is moved along the track.V

2. A proiilometer comprising an elongated support frame presenting a track, an upstanding chart mounting carriage supported upon said track to ride therealong, an upstanding follower member having means at one end engaging the road and carrying a marking implement correlated with the chart, track means `for guiding' the vertical movement of said follower member with respect to said carriage and a speed reducing transmission between said chart carriage and said follower member to cause the latter to move horizontally relative to the chart carriage in the propulsion of the latter along the frame. l l

' Y 3. A prolometer comprising an elongated support frame having feet at the ends thereof, said frame having a track therealong, a chart mounting carriage having rollers riding along said track, an upstanding follower unit mounted Vto ride along said support frame,` having a road follower at its lower end and a marking element adjustably carried thereon for coaction withthe chart, and a rack along said carriage, a rack along said elongated frame and intervening gear f reduction mechanism carried by said follower chart mounting carriage and a speed reducing gear transmission' connecting said racks and mounted upon said followerjunit toV cause the latter'to advance at a greatlyreduced Vproportional rate with respect to said chart carriage in the horizontal movementof'the latter along the support frame. Y

5. AV proiilometer comprising an open support frame Vhaving feet at its ends and presenting aV track along ,the top thereof anda second track along the bottom thereof, va combined follower and marking Vunit comprising an upright member having Va roller at its lowerend-to contact the road and having a marking element'carried at an upper part thereof, rollers on said Yunit respectively riding Vover the top and under the bottom track of said support frame;arack-"ex tending substantially the length of said support frame, a reducing gear transmission carried by said unit and including a gear meshing with said rack, a chart mounting carriage having a roller support upon the upper track and coacting with the marking element of said unit, a shorter rack along the lower part of said chart mounting carriage and a pinion driven from said rst rack -and meshing with said shorter rack.

6. A profilometer comprising a knockdown open framework having support feet and presenting a track longitudinally thereof, means for leveling said track regardless of the inclination of the road, a follower unit having means coacting with said frame to maintain said unit substantially at right angles to said framework, and in coaction with said track for riding therealong, said follower unit having a marking implement thereon, a chart mounting carriage having roller support on said track, a rack along the length of said framework near the track thereof, a shorter rack carried by the lower part of said chart mounting carriage and a gear transmission carried by said follower unit, and constituting a reduction drive between the rack on the support frame and the shorter rack on the chart mounting carriage.

7. A proiilometer comprising an open knockdown truss framework, presenting a horizontal web along the top thereof defining a track, a follower unit having rollers transversely of said web and riding thereon, and companion rollers riding under and along the lower part of said frame and maintained thereby in strictly vertical position, a chart mounting carriage having support rollers straddling and riding along the lateral edges of said web track and coacting with the marking element of said follower unit, a larger rack aiiixed to and extending longitudinally of said framework adjacent said track, a second shorter rack extending along the lower part of said chart mounting carriage, and a series of spur gears mounted upon said follower unit and constituting a reduction transmission between said racks to predetermine a relative horizontal movement between the chart mounting carriage and the follower unit in the movement of the former.

8. The combination recited in claim 7 in which the gear transmission comprises a horizontal at gear-case mounted upon said follower unit, havin a gear exposed therebelow and meshing with said longer rack, a gear rigid therewith within said case, a corresponding larger gear within said case meshing with the latter, and a pinion rigid with said gear and exposed above said case and meshing with the shorter rack.

9. A profilometer comprising a horizontal support frame presenting an upper and a lower horizontal track, a vertical sheath having rollers straddling said support frame, a follower bar lodged in said sheath, said sheath having rollers engaging said bar to permit the lower end thereof to contact the road, a rearward extending plate at the upper end of said sheath, reduction gearing carried by said plate, a rack on said support frame meshing with said gearing, a chart mounting carriage having rollers riding on the track of said support frame, a horizontal rack carried by the lower part of said chart mounting carriage, said gear reduction including a pinion meshing with said latter rack.

10. A prolometer comprising a horizontal, open support frame having end legs mounting the same, means for leveling said frame, a vertical sheath having a roller support on said frame, a follower bar having a roller support in said sheath, a chart mounting carriage having a roller mount upon said support frame, a

fixed rack upon and along the length of said support frame, a shorter rack mounted on said chart mounting carriage and a reducing gear transmission between said racks, said transmission having mounting means carried by said sheath.

ADOLPI-I GRAUER. 

